JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – It’s Week 6 of the high school football season and there some big matchups ahead, including new Super 10 No. 1 Fleming Island facing Clay County rival and No. 8 Oakleaf in the first of several high profile in-county clashes.
Super 2 No. 2 Bartram Trail hosts No. 7 Ponte Vedra in a St. Johns County Super 10 battle. And No. 9 Baldwin hosts a much-improved Jackson in one of the top games in Duval County this week.
Recommended Videos
Here’s a glance at five of the top matchups of the week as well as the full schedule.
FIVE FOR FRIDAY
Baker County (4-0) at Parker (2-2), 6 p.m.: A clash of styles here. The Braves have been up and down this season. They didn’t score against Fletcher and saw a 20-0 lead vanish in a loss to Atlantic Coast. They looked sharp against Bishop Kenny and surged back and showed their mettle last week in a come-from-behind 20-14 win over Raines. If Parker can regain that consistency, it can compete with anyone. The Doles boys, QB Roman (709 passing yards, 5 TDs) and RB Kevonte (275 yards, 2 TDs) pilot the offense. Defensively, it’s S Chris Victor, CB Darrell Bryant and CB/S Damani Dent. The Wildcats have been dominant from their opening game of the season and not relented. A battle against Westside last week (an opponent Baker County lost to in 2019) was decided in minutes and won 35-6 by the Wildcats. Baker County has numerous weapons on offense, with RBs Scooby Graham, Jamarian Baker and Cam Smith, and QB Carson Crawford. Defense is front and center at Baker County. The Wildcats have allowed 12 points all season.
Fleming Island (4-0) at Oakleaf (2-2): A Clay County showdown featuring a pair of Super 10 teams. The Golden Eagles moved to No. 1 in the rankings this week and haven’t lost a regular season game since mid-October 2018. The offense-by-committee approach includes top RBs Timothy Thomas (302 rushing yards, 5 TDs) and Sam Singleton (163 rushing yards, and FB TK Kocak (125 rushing yards, 4 TDs). WR Darion Domineck provided the jolt last week with an 80-yard TD run. He’s also the team’s top receiver. The Knights lead the series 5-4 and won the last meeting in 2018 (48-29). Oakleaf hasn’t had the best offensive start to the season (10 giveaways) but the potential is there. WR Terrance Anthony is one of the top pass catchers in the area (426 yards, 4 TDs). Cobie Bates (716 all-purpose yards) is a Swiss Army knife of a player. QB Walter Simmons III (870 passing yards, 7 TDs, 8 INTs) has the weapons. The Knights just need to be better with the ball. LB Marcus Anthony is coming off an 18-tackle game against Camden County.
Jackson (3-1) at Baldwin (4-0), 6 p.m.: Not typically a game that fans would pay too much attention to, but this year is an exception. The Indians have beaten four 2019 playoff teams to open the year, including Class 2A state semifinalist University Christian last week. The Indians are doing well in hanging on to the ball. Baldwin QB Bryce Tompkins has just two turnovers this season to go along with TD passes to five different receivers. The defense has been suffocating. Six players have combined for 24 sacks, with S/LB Tyson McClendon, DE/LB Carl Nesmith and DL Dale Walker combining for 22 of those. LB Gregory Washington has a team-best 32 tackles. For Jackson, it’s been an excellent start to the season. The Tigers have started out extremely well, too, under first-year coach Christopher Foy. QB Jalen Sonnier (835 passing yards, 9 TDs, INT), RB Darnell Cummings (381 rushing yards, 2 TDs) and WR Rickie Shaw (287 receiving yards, 7 TDs). LB Grayson Howard (54 tackles, 1.5 sacks, INT) has spearheaded a very good defense. While Jackson hasn’t played as tough a schedule as Baldwin, the win total is a drastic improvement from recent years. The Tigers had winless seasons three times in the 2010s and managed to win five games just once. Jackson is coming off its biggest win of the season against Fernandina Beach last week.
Mandarin (1-2) at Trinity Christian (2-1), 7:30 p.m.: A good matchup between Trinity and one of the largest schools in the area. The Conquerors haven’t played an area team in the state’s largest classification since Sandalwood in 2012. The Mustangs enter this one on a two-game losing streak and last week’s game against Nease wiped out by COVID-19 concerns. Can Mandarin generate any more offense this week than it has been? The Mustangs have just five offensive TDs this season. QB Tre Lawrence (651 passing yards, 3 TDs) has very good targets in WRs Jaylen Smith (256 yards, 2 TDs) and Devon Lewis (257 yards, TD). The real strength of Mandarin this year has come on the defensive side of the ball, where LB Nic Mitchell (20 tackles, 6 sacks) and Co. have allowed just 34 points in three games. The Conquerors routed North Florida Educational last week, but their real progress came in a Week 3 comeback against Columbia. RB Treyaun Webb (224 rushing yards, 5 TDs) is the focal point of the Trinity offense right now as the passing game is still trying to find a rhythm. WR Xander Ross had three TD grabs last week against NFEI. LB Lucius Lattimore (24 tackles) leads the Trinity defense
Ponte Vedra (4-0) at Bartram Trail (3-1): The 11th meeting between these St. Johns County rivals couldn’t come at a better point in the season. It’s the first legitimate challenge for the Sharks and talented QB Jacobi Myers (865 passing yards, 10 TDs, 2 INTs). RB Ponte Vedra’s four opponents have a record of 4-11 so it’s not been the most rugged of competition out of the gate. Things change in the latter half of the schedule. This series has been all Bears since the teams first played in 2008. The last three meetings have been thrillers, with games of 52-51 (Ponte Vedra win 2016), and Bartram victories of 48-45 (2017) and 29-27 (last year) following. RB Campbell Parker has been the workhorse back (529 rushing yards, 5 TDs), while WRs Michael Olkiewicz and Jack Polian have 3 TD grabs apiece for the Sharks . Ponte Vedra has smashed its first four opponents by a combined score of 141-27. Bears QB Santino Marucci (348 passing yards, 6 TDs, no INT) and RB A.J. Jones (279 rushing yards, 203 receiving yards, 5 total TDs) lead the Bartram offense. LB Dylan Chiedo is averaging 10.8 tackles per game for the Bears.
WEEK 6 SCHEDULE
FLORIDA
All games 7 p.m. unless indicated
Thursday, Oct. 8
Hawthorne (3-0) at Bradford (1-4)
St. Joseph (0-3) at Providence (2-2)
Friday, Oct. 9
Alachua Santa Fe (1-3) at Union County (3-1), 7:30 p.m.
Baker County (4-0) at Parker (2-2), 6 p.m.
Bishop Kenny (1-3) at Orange Park (0-4)
Christ’s Church (4-0) at Stanton (0-3), canceled due to COVID-19 concerns
Daytona Beach Father Lopez (1-2) at Wolfson (0-4), 6 p.m.
Deltona Trinity Christian (3-2) at Bishop Snyder (1-4)
Eagle’s View (1-3) at Cedar Creek Christian (2-3)
Englewood (1-2) at Menendez (1-2)
Episcopal (2-1) at Pine Ridge (0-2)
Fernandina Beach (3-2) at Paxon (1-2), 6 p.m.
Flagler Palm Coast (2-1) at St. Augustine (1-2)
Fleming Island (4-0) at Oakleaf (2-2)
Hilliard (5-0) at Branford (3-1), 7:30 p.m.
Jackson (3-1) at Baldwin (4-0), 6 p.m.
Joshua Christian (0-2) at Bell Creek Academy (0-3), 6 p.m.
Lake Howell (1-2) at Matanzas (1-2)
Madison County (4-1) at Columbia (0-2)
Mandarin (1-2) at Trinity Christian (2-1), 7:30 p.m.
Middleburg (0-4) at Ridgeview (3-1)
Nease (1-2) at Creekside (2-2)
Ocala Trinity Catholic (2-1) at Bolles (3-1), 7:30 p.m.
Pierson Taylor (2-1) at Interlachen (2-2), 7:30 p.m.
Ponte Vedra (4-0) at Bartram Trail (3-1)
Raines (1-3) at Sandalwood (3-0), 6 p.m.
Ribault (1-2) at Fletcher (3-1), 6 p.m.
Suwannee (3-2) at Palatka (0-5)
West Nassau (1-3) at Clay (3-0)
White (2-2) at Atlantic Coast (1-2), 6 p.m.
Yulee (2-3) at First Coast (1-1), 6 p.m.
Zarephath Academy (1-3) at West Oaks (0-4)
Saturday, Oct. 10
Keystone Heights at Crescent City
Off: Christ’s Church, Fort White, Lee, NFEI, Stanton, University Christian, Westside.
GEORGIA
Friday, Oct. 9
Benedictine (5-0) at Ware County (4-0), 7:30 p.m.
Charlton County (2-2) at Clinch County (1-1), 7:30 p.m.*
Coffee (3-1) at Camden County (4-1), 7:30 p.m.
Glynn Academy (2-2) at Brunswick (2-2), 7:30 p.m.*
Pierce County (4-0) at Fitzgerald (4-0), 7:30 p.m.
Region games indicated by an *